One in Fourteen Million (for Skull612)

Thanos was dead. His army, disintegrated with him and what of the Avengers could be saved was. Iron Man made his sacrifice, Vision was gone as well; only by mercy of the Soul Stone did Black Widow survive to tell the tale. But now, with Thanos gone and the Avengers decimated, who was left to protect what remained? The Falcon had taken up Captain America’s mantle, but he alone cannot save the world. It became clear soon enough; a new Avengers was needed. And one woman set out to form just that.

MANHATTAN, NEW YORK - 2023 - A-FORCE FACILITY

With plain, beige walls, a velvet blanketed bed, with a calendar and a few Polaroid’s hung over her desk, Scarlet Witch wasn’t exactly known for her taste in interior design. What she was known for, however, was the red, iridescent magic currently coursing through her very hands; accumulating in a small, wind-like ball, shaped like rose petals and suspending in mid-air between her palms. Her eyes unblinking, she fought hard to focus, long enough to keep her magic in this concentrated state; unfortunately, it didn’t last long enough. “Gah!” Wanda groaned as a sudden strike of pain blitzed her focus, and the ball dissipated into thin air quickly.

Sitting back, Wanda held one hand to her head, another to the bed she was sitting to the side of. Her powers were so… finicky! When in battle, she could subdue Thanos, strip him of his armor and nearly kill him herself; when at home alone, she couldn’t even keep a constant shape. How desperately she wanted to learn how to improve her focus and channel her true power! Unfortunately, the only person she thought might be able to help her with THAT was currently hovering somewhere in the stratosphere, probably, keeping watch over the rest of the known universe. Her eyes glanced at the nearby calendar. Her other kind of ‘training’ was supposed to start five minutes ago. No doubt, Natasha would come knocking on her door sometime soon… but THAT kind of ‘training’ isn’t what she wanted.

She had amazing powers! Powers to warp the mind, manipulate energy and levitate - yet all Natasha seemed bent on was making her learn how to throw punches and kicks. She wasn’t powerless like her, so why should she have to train like it? Sitting up, Wanda shook her head as she sought to clear her mind. Her hands came together again. A small, red ball of energy began to form between her fingers...

[Skull612]

She's late. Again. Natasha wasn't typically one for wearing her emotions on her face. But she carried a discernable scowl as she glanced away from her punching bag up to the gymnasium clock. Already sweat glistened off the russian assassins well-toned body from the intensity of her workout, and like usual Wanda was a no-show. Natasha found herself sighing, as she leaned in to deliver another strong right hook to the punching bag, causing the chains to rattle as it swung wide. Great, now she'd have to interrupt her own training to go and get her. To make her show up for training that had been scheduled plenty ahead of time. The scarlet-haired bombshell shook her head quickly before exerting a loud grunt, as one of her powerful kicks sent the bag careening around in a wide circular arc. Yeah, she was probably feeling a little bit angry.

She had been there, she had witnessed when Thanos wiped out half the living universe, herself included. She'd have thought experiencing something like that would have caused the younger girl to take her training a little more seriously, but apparently not. Did she think Natasha was doing all this solely for her own benefit? Sure, she had these incredible powers that Natasha could only liken to magic, but sometimes she wasn't even sure the girl herself fully understood them. Nor could she really help her to. But what she could do, was make damn sure Wanda was better prepared if anyone like those two goons of Thanos' came after her again, and her powers weren't enough. Because from what she'd witnessed once someone got past all of the Scarlet Witch's red glow stuff? She might as well just be an average girl. One who was about to give her double the laps today if she didn't have a good reason for not showing up.

Steadying the punching bag from her last blow, Natasha sighs again, as she bends over to pick up her towel and wipe off her face while unconsciously reaching back to pick her gym shorts out of her shapely behind. One pain in the ass this morning was enough without having those wedge up her impressively large rear. She lays her towel around her neck, and only stops for a drink of water before heading straight out towards the compounds bedrooms.

A-force, that was the name they'd given this team, comprised of some of the most badass women in the known universe. Though the newly constructed facility was awful empty today. The alien gals, Nebula, Mantis, and her usual preferred sparring partner Gamora, had launched earlier that morning, patrolling out in the galaxy somewhere. Shuri and Okoye and her warriors had all chosen to remain in Wakanda of course, but coms were always open. Carol was out right now on...personal business, Widow actually smiled as she rolled her eyes at that thought, so that only left four of them occupying the headquarters right now. Pepper, probably in her office, checking on her company. Wasp who was...somewhere. She'd usually give her some company in the gym most mornings, so perhaps she was in the lab. Herself of course, and then...young Wanda. She didn't need to guess, not when she'd passed by the lounge and kitchen to get here, standing in front of the door to her bedroom. Natasha clears her throat, before giving said door three solid concise knocks definitely clear enough to be heard.

"Suns up, Maximoff, get a move on. You were expected down in the gym half an hour ago. Hope you got a good excuse ready, otherwise you'll want to be floating on your way back when we're through."

Relax. Take some deep breaths. Wanda’s brow fidgeted, but otherwise, her entire body remained still. Legs crossed, hands out in front, eyes closed… the soothing vibrations of a tingling, electric like feeling coursed through her veins. It was working. She didn’t dare open her eyes to see her handiwork, lest it be short-lived, but sure enough in front of her, red, translucent lines of electric-like magic began stringing from her fingers. The ten strings in total yearned for one another on opposite sides, and were crawling ever-closer towards each other… little by little, Scarlet Witch’s mouth began to tremble. Her brow furled deeper as she focused harder on simple concentration. The lines began to flicker, losing their power the more troubled Wanda became… until, just barely, they were within reach of one another!...

“Bam, bam, bam!” Wanda’s eyes shot open at the sudden noise, the red lines vanishing in an instant as she was left with no power in either palm from such a sudden, jolting jumpscare. From the other side came the monotone, yet familiar voice Wanda knew too well by now… time’s up, it seemed. Her brow furled. But she was so close! Maybe she could stall and try again… gulping, she could tell by Natasha’s last ‘threat’ that any longer stalling would result in enough mandatory push-ups to kill her. But damn, if she didn’t want to try. Maybe she could stay quiet and pretend she wasn’t here. Slowly moving her hand, she closed her eyes again, imagining the lock on her door… slowly, a red current began shaping around it’s figure. And with a twist of her hand, she locked off her room tightly and hoped it wasn’t loud enough for Romanoff to hear.

…

This plan was stupid. Natasha definitely knew she was in there and waiting so long to reply was just going to get her in more trouble. So, swallowing again, Wanda spoke up; “Oh, I cannot train with you today, M-Ms. Romanoff!...” She began, wholly uncommitted to this act. “I am… feeling unwell this morning.” She decided. “...perhaps tomorrow.” Yes, that should do it. Now, to sell that act when Black Widow inevitably knocks down her door. Glancing over her shoulder, Wanda threw off the covers of her neatly made bed and quickly ducked down into them, tossing them back over her and pretending to be bedridden. Now, just to hope she isn’t made to come out from the covers… because her black leggings and matching summer dress weren’t exactly ‘sick’ clothes.